Accommodation Advice

We have compiled some useful information to help you find somewhere to live quickly and effectively, along with some handy hints you should consider whilst looking. You will find details of websites, newspapers and letting agencies where you will be able to view lists of current available properties. 

We can also help you contact other students who would like to find flatmates. To do this you should fill out the form entitled ‘The Accommodation Sharers List’, which you will receive with your acceptance brochure once you have enrolled. You should contact other students in advance and arrange a time to meet up and visit some properties together. Please contact the college on 020 8749 3131 if you would like to be sent a form. 

The School has a facebook site, with a busy forum where students can meet and talk about issues like accommodation. There are often details of rooms or properties available for renting. You can visit us at: www.facebook.com/TechMusicSchool

Understandably, you’ll probably want to get your accommodation sorted out as early as possible, but it’s worth noting that most of the properties you’ll see advertised will be available within the next 6 weeks, so there’s usually no point looking for your house more than a couple of months before your course begins. 

If you’re coming from further afield and need to find somewhere to stay whilst you’re looking, you’ll also find addresses and telephone numbers of some local hotels, bed and breakfasts and accommodation agencies which have been used successfully by students and their families in the past.

Lastly, please don’t worry about finding somewhere to live. Accommodation is available locally on a daily basis and if absolutely necessary it is possible to have reserved a property after a days’ search. However, it is always best to take your time looking around in order to find the right place. 

Types of Accommodation Available

A room in a shared house tends to be the easiest solution and one that most students opt for. It can be either inclusive or exclusive of bills and many are readily available in the areas surrounding the college. You could either: 

• arrange to live with other students from the School, or
• look for a room in an existing house share with other young people in the local area. This is often a good way to find a room at short notice.

 Please bear in mind that you will need a living environment in which you have the physical and mental space to do your homework assignments. 

What areas should I be looking in?

• Acton: W3
• Shepherds Bush: W12
• Hammersmith: W6
• Ealing: W5, W13
• Chiswick: W4
• Hanwell: W7

The School is located in Acton but all the above areas are relatively close by. Many of our students live within walking distance of the School. If you wish to explore further afield you will need to take into consideration the cost of travelling, and the time it takes to get to the School. Get yourself an A-Z (street map of London) so you can see exactly where the properties are in relation to the School, and how close to tube/bus stops they are. 

The majority of Londonis accessible by all forms of transport - bus, tube, train and car. 

Where do I start looking?

Housing can be found in the following ways: 

Loot: This is a small ads paper which lists houses, flats, rooms and house shares. You can buy Loot from any newsagent in and around London. This paper is issued every few days, and the Friday edition is particularly good for accommodation listings. You are advised to pick up the paper early in the morning as the better accommodation deals tend to disappear by the evening. Loot is also available online: www.loot.com

Local papers: These are always a good source for accommodation, you can try the Ealing Times, Ealing Gazette or the London Evening Standard. 

Gumtree: This website has a huge selection and houses, flats and rooms for long and short term rent. For students wanting short term lets this is probably the best place to look. www.gumtree.co.uk

Notice boards: We often get sent details of houses to let and our students sometimes have rooms which become available in their houses. Details of these can be found on the notice boards which are situated around the School.   

Newsagents, supermarkets and local food stores: It is worth looking out for adverts on notice boards in these places where you will find adverts for rooms, bedsits, flats and house shares.

Accommodation Agencies: These are extremely useful and tend to have large databases of houses that are available in the local area. Most agencies will charge an administration fee. You can find a list of local agencies which have been used successfully by our students in the past, in this pack. There are also large on-line databases, which include properties offered by lots of different agencies: www.rightmove.co.uk is a good one.

Host Family Accommodation

Host Family Accommodation is available close to the School through our partner: London Music School Courses and Workshops. For £175 per week students will receive shared half-board accommodation which includes breakfast and dinner. For a single room, youth hostel or hotel there is an additional surcharge. 

Students will receive a key to come and go as they please but also have the home comforts that they wouldn’t get at a youth hostel or hotel. As students will be with an English speaking family, this is an excellent opportunity for non-English speaking students to brush up on their English language skills.

For more information or to book please contact James Kinghorn. email: jk@lmscw.com

Moving In and Moving Out

Your rent should be regarded as the most important part of your monthly expenditure. Most accommodation lettings require one months rent (occasionally six weeks) to be held as a deposit to secure your place (if any damage is done to the property during your tenancy the landlord will normally deduct a fee from your deposit). Rent is paid in advance, in weekly or monthly payments, usually by direct debit. 

When moving out make sure that you give the correct amount of notice as specified on your tenancy agreement, failure to do so could result in you forfeiting your deposit. Always give your notice in writing (dated and signed) and make sure that you retain a copy for yourself. Make sure that all your keys are handed back to the householder on the day of vacating the property, if this is not done you may be liable for further rent charges.

Council Tax and Insurance

As a full time student you will not be liable to pay council tax if you are house sharing with other students. You will probably need a letter from us confirming your student status which you should then send to your local council tax office. Please note that if you enter a house share with working professionals you will be liable to pay council tax unless it is otherwise covered by your rent in your tenancy agreement. 

It is a good idea to insure your personal belongings. You can do this through an insurance broker or alternatively there are insurance services at most banks. It may be possible to have your belongings covered by your parents’ existing policy but please do not assume that this is the case – they will need to check with their insurance company.

A full version of our 'Accommodation Advice Pack' is available on request.